Ezra 6 (Part 2) Bible Study (The Temple Finished and Dedicated) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Ezra chapter six. And plant your eyes there at verse 13. Since our start in our study of the book of Ezra, we have virtually every week heard something similar. We've heard about the reconstruction, the rebuilding of what is known as the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem. Everything from the initial excitement of the rebuilding to the mixed feelings about the rebuilding, to the opposition to the rebuilding, and the revival toward the rebuilding.

But after we complete this chapter, we will no longer hear about the reconstruction of the temple for one simple reason. We are going to realize that it is going to be completed. That is essentially what the rest of Ezra chapter six is about, the celebration of the completion of the house of God that for many, many decades laid destitute and destroyed. This is a monumental moment here. But before we read about the rejoicing of this historic achievement, we're going to learn and be reminded of what it took for it to be realized.

The verses that we're gonna open up with are essentially a summary of this massive accomplishment. But within these verses, we are going to see some insights that are going to feed a central truth, the necessary for steadfastness in whatever God has called us to do. And so let's do this. As as we come now to this text, we're gonna read the first two verses beginning in verse 13 down to verse 14. It says here, then according to the words sent by Darius the king, Tethaniah the governor of the province beyond the river, Shethar bozani and their associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered.

And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel, by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, king of Persia. Let's pause here for a moment. Let's remind ourselves where we're at in this story. There were certain governors during the Persian government and empire that were ruling over the Judean province.

They saw these Jews who had returned from Babylon rebuilding this great edifice and it concerned them. So they sent message to Darius the king asking for clarification if they have permission to do this. Darius the king gives a letter promptly. Once he discovers the historical precedence and the allowance for them to do this, he tells Tatani and his associates, leave the Jews alone. Don't interrupt.

Don't interfere. Don't get involved. But additionally, he warns them. And he says, if anyone is to edit my decree, they will be severely punished. If anyone vandalizes this place of worship, they will be put to death.

And I call upon the God of Israel to actually intervene. And so what we just read now is the response of Tatinai and the other governors to the letter that they had received from Darius. And here's what we discover. What's highlighted here is that they did what Darius asked with what? Look at the end there at verse 13.

With all diligence. With all diligence. Now that may not seem relevant, but it is. Because whether Tati and his associates wanted to or not, they just became active participants in this project. Go back to verse eight of Ezra six.

This is just part of Darius' letter to these men. In Ezra six eight, it reads, moreover, I make a decree, this is Darius speaking, regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from beyond the river. So the very same men who reported on the Jews have now been recruited to help the Jews. It's a remarkable turn of events.

But to our surprise, the attitude of Tethania and his friends is actually praiseworthy. Because there is no hint whatsoever that they were reluctant to obey the orders of Darius. In fact, it's the opposite. They did so with all diligence. You know what that word diligence means?

With careful attention, with effort, without reservation, with energy. And that seems quite interesting because the more I meditate on this, the more inspiring it became. Think about a couple things with me. Number one, as I just mentioned, these men did not resist or question Darius' decree towards them. Did they?

Not at all. All Darius had to do was what? Give the word. And they complied completely. They unreservedly submitted.

And what we find here is that though we don't know all their motives, one thing is undeniable. That all it took was Darius's word to get them moving. All it took was one order and they obeyed. And for this demonstration of obedience to come from Gentiles at this point in history who are serving a human king in this way is a clear challenge to God's people then and now. Should not your eagerness and mine match or even exceed that of these men?

For our king, our king, he's called a king in many places in the scriptures. Does he not deserve this exact type of prompting and willingness and eagerness for whatever he asked of us. If these men are willing to do this for a human king named Darius, how much more us for our King Christ, our Lord, our Master? No hesitation. No arguments.

No debate. All diligence the first time. Secondly, notice how these men obey Darius' order without any reward. There is nothing promised to them. All that letter shows is that Darius wanted something to be done and he warned them if they disobeyed, if they altered anything that he had said.

There is no indication that there is any promise for promotion, any prize to be granted, and yet without anything in view, they still did so with all diligence. Why? Here's the only answer I can come up with, for the king's pleasure. That's why. Because he asked for it.

He desired it. That's the only thing that they're working with. What a thought. It's possible to surrender to someone else's will simply because you want to please them. And that's what Tati and his associates are demonstrating for their king.

But let me ask you something. Did King Darius ever humble himself to receive persecution or dishonor from others? Did King Darius ever set aside his Royal Majesty to serve his subjects? Has King Darius ever entertained the thought of laying down his life for his enemies? Of course not.

And yet, he still receives such fierce loyalty from those within his kingdom. And yet we have a king who exceeds all rulers, all saints, all prophets in his beauty, in his humility, in his sacrifice, in his great love. What more do Christians need in their motivation to obey this king other than the fact that it pleases him, that it blesses him? What what other stimulation do we need? Is there anything greater than the thought and knowing that what he asks of me after all that he has done for me is enough.

Knowing the the thought crossing my mind that this simply blesses the heart of my king should be enough for us to do whatever he asks of us. And so I look at Tatinai and I look at his associates and I realize that their diligence for Darius should never outshine what you and I supposed to do for our king. Moreover, the reason why this diligence is highlighted is because it contributes to the completion of the temple that we're about to read about. But this is not the only thing that's highlighted. There's another thing that's underscored in verse 14.

Look at it again with me. And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. Don't you love that phrase? They prospered through the prophesying. Now this is where we have to be clear.

This is not telling us that the Jews at this time were simply riding on the momentum of the initial word that Haggai and Zechariah gave when he tried to when they tried to wake them up from their years of complacency. Remember, God raised these two men up to approach the same crowd who for many years neglected the temple. And they said, Hey, hey, hey. Come on. You're focusing too much on yourself.

You're ignoring God's house. This is the reason why he brought you back to this land. This is not a commentary about how they have been energized from that word, though it could have played a part. Instead, what's being explained here is the success of this group of people through the regular consistent messages of Zechariah and Haggai. In other words, the reason why they were able to prosper spiritually was because they were continually exposed to the word of God.

And this reveals many things about us. Let me just highlight one of them. I believe it shows just how easily we as God's people can become discouraged or distracted. It's possible. It's possible for you sitting here right now as you're hearing this.

It's possible for anybody. Think about it. The first time that the Jews stopped the building of the temple was because initially there was pushback from their neighbors. There was threats. There was persecution.

And so they paused. And they paused too long because they became caught up with other affairs. But what's happening at this point? Is there any opposition towards their efforts? No.

The opposite. Not only are there no obstacles at this point, but you even have grants from the government, allowance from kings to let you do whatever you need to do with greater effect and speed. And even with this incredible opportunity set before them, we learned that the real reason why they prospered was because they were receiving the word of God regularly. In other words, even with this open door before them, they still needed to be exhorted, they still need to be reminded, they still need to be motivated. What does that tell you about you and me?

That this flesh is remarkable at finding ways to drain our enthusiasm for God. Even if everything in your life is cooperating. That's what's happening here. Darius gave them the green light and yet the Holy Spirit wants to bring to mind that the people of God still needed the word of God to redirect them, keep them aligned, keep them stable. And how much of this is a temptation to us as Christians in America who have been granted a level of liberty that this world has rarely known in all of history?

So then why is it that with so much in our favor as the church, is it so common for many Christians to be inconsistent in their spiritual zeal, in their fervor, in their commitment to whatever ministry they signed up for week after week, month after month, year after year. In no way is it God's will for us to fluctuate in our faithfulness, to to succumb to whatever weakens our hands. But listen, he is incredibly gracious. He knows that we have the temptation to falter. He knows that we have the tendency to quit even even if you're standing underneath a shower of his blessing like they are here.

You have the king of Assyria in this context, Darius is also the king of Persia. Give them all that they want and they still needed a supernatural force to remain in the will of God, which is exactly the answer. God is so gracious in knowing our weaknesses that he supplies exactly what we need to know sustainability. What is it? The regular hearing and receiving of God's word.

That is what's highlighted and explaining the reason for their spiritual prosperity. You and I have no chance of remaining steadfast if we distance ourselves from this book. If we remove ourselves from a place like this that faithfully points us to what God has said and is saying still through his word. And we actually have insight here about what it was that was said on a continual basis to keep this people energized Because Haggai and Zechariah have books with their names on it in our Bibles. And and we won't go into it, but if you read their content, you'll learn that what they said to the same audience included encouragement, included warning, included promises, included faithful and wonderful hopeful insight into the future.

All these things combined is what helped these people navigate each day. I mean, think about it. Here's one that many of us know. What does it do to you to hear something like Zechariah four six? The word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might nor by power, but by my what?

Spirit, says the Lord. That'll move you. And so you get an idea of what it was that these two prophets conveyed to flow fresh fuel into their hearts to remain anchored. And that is why it is one of Satan's favorite strategies to draw you away from engaging with this book, to lure you from coming to a church that exalts God's word, explains God's word, exhorts people through God's word. He understands that if he can cut you off from this, he cuts off your life source.

And it's just a matter of time before you shrivel up and you give yourself to something futile and fury, even sinful. You will never be able, never be able to point someone to me who claims to be a consistent Christian and doesn't have a consistent and humble engagement and relationship with the written word of God. You won't be able to find one. Impossible. And that principle is so obvious here.

It was through the prophesying of the prophets, the word of the Lord through them that helped these remnant prosper spiritually. So let's go on now. We read these first two verses of this section, but let's continue in verse 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. So at the end of verse 14, we realize that they finished the building.

This is a remarkable thing. This is a huge milestone. And so important was it that in verse 15, Ezra gives us the date of its completion. Do we remember when, however, the work of the temple resumed after it was ignored for so long? Does anybody remember when?

If you don't Oh, good. Who said it? Say it out loud. What year of Darius' reign? The second.

If you need confirmation, look at Ezra four twenty four for a moment. Ezra four twenty four. Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. So the work began again in the second year of Darius the king and it was completed in the sixth year. So how long did it take him to rebuild the temple?

Four years. Four years. Even with all the diligence that they offered, even with the really miraculous support from the Persian government, it still took this group of people four years to resurrect this structure. But I actually wanna argue that it took longer than that. When you zoom out, it actually took much more time.

Because we're only counting from when the work of the temple resumed again to its completion. But we're not considering the time that passed from the people laying the foundation of the temple, and then getting distracted until they started again. So we learned that when these Jews came back from Babylon to Jerusalem, they almost immediately laid the foundation of this house. Then persecution emerged. They were intimidated.

They got scared. They used it as an excuse, and they start focusing on their own houses. From that time of laying the foundation to the second year of Darius where they began the house again, working on the house again, many believe sixteen years had passed. So when we consider that whole timeline, how many years did it really take to rebuild the temple? Simple math.

There's no trick question. Twenty years, twenty to twenty one years for this single building to be rebuilt. Last night, I just sat back and I thought to myself, in that same amount of time, they could have rebuilt five of these temples. But instead, because of what? Idleness and worldly ambition, They built one.

I praise God that this part of Ezra's story, really all of Ezra's story, is one of grace and God's faithfulness and his mercy, undeniably. But here I wanna highlight that it offers a sobering warning about the value of time and how if we're not careful even as God's children, we can forfeit a lot of it easily, especially in this age. For some who are listening, as you look back at years, you may have to admit that you barely, barely invested anything in building your relationship with God. No no reading plan, little time in prayer, no investment in any kind of ministry. Be careful.

Because I don't want it to be said of anybody, including for myself, that we lived our days in such a way that years passed by and it can hit us where we wonder and think to ourselves, where could I have been in the Lord if I did not burn my time on useless things? That's totally possible. Time is the most precious gift in many ways because you can't get it back. You know this very well. And it could be also that there's some sitting here who've come to that painful realization and you can't seem to shake off the guilt.

But I wanna comfort you that it does no good for you to reflect on on years wasted, Whether that be because you were living outside of Christ or because even in Christ, you named his name but you squandered many of your years. It it does no good. Instead, if you are reminded of that, use it as as motivation to guard the days ahead. We don't know how many God how many years God is gonna give us or days or months or weeks. We have no clue.

But if you are among those who feel, oh, I I wish I got saved earlier. I wish I wasn't so foolish with the resources that were at my disposal. I should have listened to my mom and dad, to my older brother. I should have paid attention to those sermons all those years. Now I'm getting older.

I'm getting more frail. Now I have more responsibility. All the all the free time I had as a single man. Just listen. When those things haunt you, recycle it and then use it to say with whatever time I have left, I will live maximally for God.

And listen, for anybody, no matter where you are in light of this, for anybody who chooses to, from this moment on, live for the will of God, joy is promised for you. Joy today and joy tomorrow. In fact, that's what we we find next. Let's read now from verse 16 down to verse 18. And the people of Israel, the priest and the Levites and the rest of the return exiles celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

With joy. Highlight those two words. With joy. They offered at the dedication of this house of God a 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel, 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

So the house is now done and they're putting it to use. But before they do anything, they're almost putting together a grand opening. But it's more sacred than that. They wanna consecrate this house to God's glory and so they they put together some of their resources and they offered at the dedication. If you put all those animals together and their numbers, you're talking about 700.

If you include the sin offering, that's 712 beasts of different kinds. That detail may seem irrelevant or insignificant to you, but it carries meaning when you do one thing. Remember that this was not the only dedication that took place in Israel's history towards and for the house of God. This is the second temple. Before the second temple, there was Solomon's Temple.

Was there a dedication service for Solomon's Temple? Yes. Do you remember how many beasts were offered then? A lot. Can I remind you how much?

Turn to first Kings chapter eight and look at verse 62. First Kings chapter eight verse 62. Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the Lord. Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

So when it came to the celebration of the first temple, you're talking about a 142,000 animals. Quite the difference, isn't it? In fact, one might be tempted to think by comparison the dedication of the second temple feels a little embarrassing, maybe worthless. 712 in comparison to a 142,000. A very great difference in terms of the size of the offering, but I wanna convey to you that there is something similar that these two generations shared.

One word. One word. It's a very simple word. Joy. Joy.

There is joy in Solomon's day. Scroll down to verse 66 of first Kings eight, what is said. On the eighth day, he sent the people away and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart. For all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people. Now go back to Ezra six.

Ezra six verse 16 says, and the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the return exiles celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. So both experienced joy. In fact, look what the Holy Spirit does in Ezra six sixteen. He's so specific. It says here that they celebrated dedication of this house, this house, as if to emphasize from the human standpoint that what seems to be inferior, inferiority of this house, and the far less impressive dedication of this house did not determine their joy.

It didn't. So how was it that with only 07/2012, you're talking about a meager offering, was this crowd able to genuinely rejoice in this moment? You know the answer is in the same chapter, and it's glorious. Look at the last verse of Ezra six. You heard this last week if you were here.

Ezra six twenty two, and they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, there it is again, for the Lord had made them joyful. For the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. That's the answer. God made them joyful. And there are a couple of things we can learn from this that will change your life radically if you actually choose to believe it.

Number one, God can make us joyful whether you have little or much. No matter what you possess, it is possible to actually be happy, to know genuine contentment. You know, this could have been another occasion for this generation of returned exiles to weep like they did when they laid the foundation of the temple. You remember that? Some rejoiced when they laid the foundation and other wept.

Why did they weep? Because the older generation remembered Solomon's temple. And so they couldn't help but compare and think this is it. This is what we've been restored to. But supposing that that older generation is still alive, because it could have been that they died.

So there's a little bit less weeping because they're no longer alive. That's possible, but let's just suppose that they're still alive. God worked in their hearts in such a way that they can recognize the good of the moment and give God glory and experience a wave of genuine joy. It's a work of God, despite their lack. And in this case, the people experience something unique and they discerned it.

Right? We read it in the verse. They discerned that God moved in the heart of Darius for their favor and he aided them to build this house. That's a different testimony than Solomon. Isn't it?

In Solomon's case, God just prospered him and his administration and and the nation at that time to enable them to build the temple at such a grand scale. It's two different testimonies, but it says the same thing that God is still at work. And they understood that God is still at work. Doesn't look the same, but it doesn't dismiss the fact that he is moving in our midst, and we can rejoice because of that. If your joy is in what you have or what you don't have, I promise you a very fickle and flimsy contentment.

It won't last because possessions and materials come and go. But if your joy is in God, if your joy is in Christ who's always working, no matter what you own, you will know happiness that will endure all circumstances. And that's why Israel's past success did not cloud their contentment here. There's no comparison here like they did earlier because it was God who worked in their hearts and the source of their joy was what God was doing, the fingerprints that they were able to recognize. Oh, they're able to rejoice.

There's another thing to consider. True joy isn't found in what you have, but in what you do with what you have. You can't separate the theme of joy with Solomon and in Ezra's story with the reality of sacrifice and the worship of God. Joy is found in those context. They rejoice in first Kings eight.

Why? Because they were able to recognize the goodness of the Lord to David and his descendants. Here, they recognize the goodness of the Lord because he was moving the hearts of leaders of nations on their behalf. But also they've come to sacrifice, and they've come to worship God, and they are living at a point where they are prioritizing God's house. See, knowing joy is not just recognizing that God is a fountain of all your blessings.

That's true. If you really wanna unlock it in your heart, you have to be willing to come to a place of responding to that truth with unreserved worship. So when you make the kingdom of God your priority, when you make Christ pleasure your desire, when your devotion to him is all that you really want, that will position you to receive and experience God's joy. No matter what your possessions look like, it will put everything in its proper perspective. And that's what we find here.

We're gonna worship God. We're gonna sacrifice what we can give him. We've prioritized his house and that's why you see this repeated truth, joy joy joy joy. And that's why perhaps some of you are miserable because you've stuffed theological statements and truths and doctrinal ideas in your head, but you've never responded to it. And other things take precedence in your life.

Other things have greater priority. Other things are demanding your devotion. And so you don't understand the numbness and you perhaps look at other Christians and you criticize them because you you think this is a little bit too ecstatic, this is a little bit too much. But what you find in these two instances when we compare it with Solomon and Ezra, that the the experience of joy is within the realm of sacrifice and worship and living for God's house, God's name, God's glory. That was true for the churches in Macedonia.

Have you ever heard of them? Do you remember how Paul described the churches in Macedonia when he praised them for their financial partnership? When he was raising funds from the different churches to help the poor saints in Jerusalem, this will blow your mind. Go to second Corinthians chapter eight. Second Corinthians chapter eight.

And look at verse one with me. Second Corinthians eight verse one, Paul says to the Corinthians, we want you to know brothers about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia. For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. How do those two descriptions fit in the same statement? Abundance of joy right next to what?

Extreme not just poverty. Extreme poverty. Now poverty in America in 2026 looks different than poverty in antiquity. And we're not talking even about the poor. He's talking about extreme poverty.

And yet somehow the Macedonian believers tapped into not even just not just joy, abundant joy. It reinforces the truth that we are learning in Ezra, does it not? That your joy is not in what you have, it's in God himself. And your joy can heighten and mature on what you do with what you have. And in this contact with the little that they have, they wanted to somehow play a part in the relief of the saints in Jerusalem.

You're saying, what's the secret? How do I get to this point? Because brother, if I'm honest, I'm a wreck. I'm numb. I'm going through the motions.

Well, let me offer a potential insight to the reason why you can't figure out your own misery. Do you know why the Macedonian believers were able to do what they're doing here? Do you know why they were able to know the spring of joy to the point that it almost just led them to this to this decision to sacrifice in this way? Look at verse five, second Corinthians eight verse five. Paul's still talking about them and he says, and this not as we expected but they gave themselves first to the Lord.

And then by the will of God to us. The reason why these believers were the way that they were, the reason why they knew this abundant joy is because they made a decision, I'm gonna give myself first to the Lord. He calls the shots in my life. I submit to him above my own desires. But when you really taste of this joy, your desires become his desires and and you live in this genuine, awesome growth of joy as the days go by.

That doesn't mean that joy isn't challenged. It doesn't mean that sometimes you ask like what the psalmist said, why are you cast down, oh my soul? But you will have a reference point in your soul where you know what it's like to know God's joy and you won't settle for anything else. Let's look at the last parts of Ezra six. Verse 19 down to verse 22.

On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover for the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together. All of them were clean. Oh, I'd love to say so much about that. All of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles for their fellow priests and for themselves.

It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and also by everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. So apparently, you had Gentiles along this journey who realized that the God of Israel is the true God and they yoked themselves to the true God by faith. These are proselytes. These are converts. I'm not gonna comment on that too much either.

Let's look at verse 22. And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. So many things can be said here as I already mentioned, but I wanna just focus on one simple thing, one observation from these last verses. Three out of the four verses we just read include this identity about the people of Israel, the people of Judah. The Holy Spirit labels them as the returned exiles.

Three times in four verses, the returned exile. Some other translations say the descendants of captivity or the children of captivity. Here's my question. Why emphasize that here? Aren't we far enough into the story of Ezra to know that we are reading about the captives who had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem?

Why do I need to hear it over and over in this closing section? It's the return exiles. It's the return exiles. It's the return exiles. I know it's the return exiles.

Here's what I believe the answer is. There's something about the enjoyment and the celebration of the Passover and the unleavened bread that connects with this truth of the return exiles. In other words, the people of Israel have not experienced these holy feasts in the fullest sense, like what we're seeing here, since the days before their exile. This is huge. This is massive.

And the Holy Spirit wants us to know that it was the return exiles who enjoyed it. Think about it this way. The book of Ezra opens with a decree. Cyrus, who was the king of Persia at that time, extended an invitation to the Jews in Babylon. You can go back home if you want.

Now did he extend that invitation to all of the Jews or some of the Jews? All of them. All of them. Did all of them go? No.

Some of them. And we've discussed in the past perhaps some of the reasons why many of these Jews decide to stay back in Babylon. But now we come to this point in Ezra's story. And here's the question we have to ask, who are the ones who are experiencing the holy feasts in in the proper way? Who are the ones who are now relishing in the presence of God in the house of God once again?

Who are the ones who are being renewed in their understanding of the revelation of God's mercy and might in his temple? Who are the ones? The ones who decided to pay a price to go back. Those are the ones. This is why in part this repetition is made to emphasize this reality that the ones who chose to go back were the ones who relished in this revival and entered into a new level in their relationship with the living God.

Here's what that means for you and I. There are certain spiritual advantages and there are certain experiences that can only come to those who are willing to walk away from what God asked them to walk away from to truly know them. Sometimes the things that we have to separate ourselves from are sinful. Other times they're just temporal, they're shallow, they're foolish, they're vain, they're pointless. But whatever the nature of our hindrances may be, one thing is for certain, sacrifice of various kinds is often the path to spiritual reward.

The returned exiles were the ones who got to taste the miracle before them. But they first had to make a very difficult decision to walk away from familiarity, to walk away potentially from family and friends, a new way of life, to go back to a land of destitution, to a lot of hard work, to to enemies that are ready to devour you at your most vulnerable point. But because they understood that life is ultimately about the glory of God, they took that step of faith and now they're enjoying something that others are not. So here I am reading this, studying this, ruminating over it, and I'm thinking to myself, there's gotta be so many other examples of this principle. Even in the New Testament, and for whatever reason, the one example, and potentially because it deals with an individual, and perhaps because I preached about it many many many years ago, even before Maranatha Bible Church existed, I thought maybe this is a good way to illustrate it in a personal way.

Have you ever considered how the Bible introduces us to the person, the character, the minister named Timothy? Go to Acts 16, here's where we'll land because I just wanna solidify this truth in our hearts. A sacrifice of various kinds is often the path to spiritual reward. Acts 16, this is where we're introduced to Timothy. In Acts 16 verse one, Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra.

A disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him. Pause there. What an honor.

This remarkable man of God by the name of Paul, who was once a terrorist, who terrorized the church, who is now the leading apostle in many ways, comes into town to check on the the saints and he he discovers about this man named Timothy, a young man. And all the brethren, all the believers there speak well of him. Now we know Timothy is a young man even when Paul writes to him after he becomes a pastor. So if he was young when he was a pastor of the church of Ephesus, how young was he here? It's really a reminder for young people to to not wait to take your faith seriously.

Don't delay in your seriousness. Because Timothy didn't all of a sudden become genuine in his faith. He always was. To the point when Paul walked into town, the believer says, you gotta meet this young man, this exceptional saint named Timothy. Paul meets him.

I wonder what the conversation was like, but it was enough for this man and Paul was picky with who he worked with. You know that. Right? I want you to come with me. I want you to be a partner in my missionary endeavors.

The thrill, But it came at a price. Look at verse three again. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him and he took him and circumcised him. Because of the Jews who were in those places for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Many, many people will come to this text to debate.

I've heard it. I've read about it. What's the debate about? Was Paul right in circumcising Timothy? Did Paul go against his convictions?

Or is Paul being strategic? There's the clashes and there's the blog post and there's the commentaries. That's fine. I think it's an important conversation to have. But you want you know what?

I've never stumbled upon somebody coming to this text to speak about Timothy. This is the first time Timothy is mentioned in the Bible. What does it say about this young man? Says something about the price he was willing to pay to follow the call of God. You can debate if Paul was writing this or not but just focus in and look at it from Timothy's perspective.

He was not eight days old when he was circumcised in this part of the story. You know that right? He was a young man. Very conscious, very aware, but very willing. And what I thought to myself was, what if Timothy had denied such a thing?

What if he had rejected it? What if he thought this is a no. Thank you. I appreciate the invitation, but I think I'll just go on with my life the way it always has been. He would have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime.

You get the impression from the Bible that Timothy had a stronger relationship with his mom and his grandmother. The implication is that his father, yes, was a gentile but also an unbelieving gentile. So how how present was Timothy's dad in his life? We don't know. But you know, because of this moment in his life, he gained a spiritual father.

And more than that, Paul entrusted him with one of the most thriving churches in the region. Timothy became the teaching elder in Ephesus. And what about all the other adventures and the stories of these trips and the miracles that he beheld and the conference that he saw? I bring all this up to say that it all hinged upon a personal sacrifice. Difficult decision to walk away from comfort in a very real way.

And yet there are many people professing Christians who are not willing to walk away from some things. You will not know the fullness of God's will until you fully give yourself over to him. How much time has passed in your life where you consciously know that you're holding something back. Let it change for 2026. I've yet to be convinced that somebody has more joy, more peace, more excitement in their life living for themselves than living for God.

You know somebody? Show me after. Show me after. And and don't show me an Instagram profile or a TikTok account. Some of those people are the most miserable of them all.

Always need to live for people's applause and recognition. Somebody is somebody who's rock solid content, immovable, and doesn't have a relationship with the living God because they have surrendered everything. I can go and show you example after example after example of how the Bible presents this constant theme that sacrifice is the path for spiritual reward. In Timothy's case, I mean his life was never the same. In the case of these returned exiles, they had to make a decision many many years ago, we will go back.

And they got to stand in the courts of the second temple while some for selfish reasons stayed back in Babylon. Why? Because they had a business that they started or because they had a new home and some Levites surely wanted to stay back because they got land. And when you went back to Israel, you had to give up your land, you had to live by faith. But what do we find at the end of Ezra six?

Joy, joy, joy, joy, joy for the returned exiles. Lord, we thank you for this bible study. How amazing it is to even look at a corner of your word that is so historical, so specific, so obscure, and yet can be so packed with power. We confess gladly that we believe this is the word of God. It's so sharp.

You never fail to show us just how precise the sword of the spirit is. Lord, many things were said And we pray that the same way the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah kept the people focused and energized, may this bible study and the ones to come provide that same grace. Help us believe that this book in our hands is our lifeline. Lord, we pause to rejoice, to give you thanks for how you've spoken to us. Be glorified in all things.

In Jesus' name. Amen. Why don't we stand, and let's worship God.